Butterfly Laughter
by Sunny Ice
Summary: "Have you ever seen something that beautiful?" Gwen and Kevin discover laughing as a scientific topic. *fluff* /Final part of the "Butterfly" series\ Can be read without knowing the first two parts "Butterfly Heartbeat" and "Butterfly Breath"


**Last but not least- the third part of my Butterfly-Trilogy. (Sorry for the delay- the reason for it is readable in "Will you catch me?")  
****Next one up is a songfic, not as happy and light as this story, but well- nobody can be happy all the time.  
****And because everything needs to be revealed in the final part, I explain where my stories have their names from.**

**Enjoy and don't forget to tell me, if you missed something!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Ben 10" or any related series.  
Claimer: The way the characters are composed (aka "the storyline") is my intellectual property.**

* * *

"How do you choose which aliens you put into the codon-stream, Azmuth?"

"Didn't I tell you already?"

"You did, but how can you tell, what intelligence is? How do you define it? I mean- we have animals here on earth too, and some of them seem to be smarter than humans"

He smiled.

"Well, Gwendolyn, as I said- your backwater planet is nothing to be proud of and your species is one of the last I wanted to have my precious invention." She opened her mouth to say something, but got cut off.

"But some as your Grandfather Max are outstanding. As soon as the talking about his work as a plumber reached me, I decided to let him complete my work by making him the intergalactic ambassador the Omnimatrix was built for."

"How do you mean that?"

"Max did not only work as a plumber- he lived up to the expectations the universe had in him. He put the bad guys in prison and helped the widows and orphans, as to say it like an earthling." Azmuth smiled and rubbed his chin.

"But to come back to your question: I found species way smarter than the ones on your planet, so I didn't need to put them into access for the Omnimatrix." Seemingly mumbling to himself he added: "Though I storage them, because humans don't seem to care for what they ruin! Always thinking about what's best for them and turning their environment against them." He shook his head.  
Gwen left him in his thoughts for a few seconds before asking: "You really don't like earth, do you?"

"It's not about liking, it's about understanding. But..." his words faded.

"But...what?"

"But I didn't understand your cousin as well. By now he surprises me how...responsible he is."

Gwen tried not to smile. Ben was clever, sure, sometimes even caring or tricky, but responsible? - His restlessness and his sense for adventure brought him, Gwen and Kevin in more than one dangerous situation. But that way they saved not only earth but the whole entire universe. Oops, now she sounded like him. Not good. She smiled anyway. They grew up together, he was even closer to her than her brother but still- sometimes she could have...what did Azmuth just say about her?

"Pardon me, what did you say?"

"You seem to be the voice of reason and the one keeping Ben from going head over heels. So I wanted to give you this."

He handed her a little coin, on the first sight made out of glass and metal. It looked like her plumbers-badge, only with pink in the middle instead of green.

"Thank you, but may I ask- what is it?"

"What does it look like?" Azmuth smirked challenging. If she was the smartest being in Ben's team, she could figure it out by herself. She weighed it in her hand and turned it. It was a bit lighter and still the colors and the pattern…

"Like a plumber's badge. And it feels like-" she touched the pink glass in the middle. "Oh, it feels like mana."

``Clever girl´´, Azmuth thought. "It is. This is a direct connection to Legder Domain and Anodyne. It advances your powers by connecting you to the dimension or the planet or even both, depending on how much more mana you need. I made it with your grandmother. We thought you and Kevin deserve something to show you how glad we are to have such a team as you three, after you saved us all more then once. Ben already has the real Omnimatrix I gave him and for a simple humans being he is already way above his natural power. You two on the other hand, are gifted by birth. You learned to work it with little help, but mostly all by yourselves and you did well."

"Thank you, Azmuth, I really-" She sniffed.

"Oh, your human part is still stronger than your Anodite, I see." Was this look on his face panic for welling tears, and if- whose tears? "Whatever, I've got to go now, preparing for the next disaster your cousin is going to cause. Goodbye!" With that he disappeared in a white light.

Gwen dried the one tear that escaped her eye. She had to keep that side of Azmuth in mind- words of glory didn't come too often. She searched for a necklace to put the coin on. The mana of Verdona was clearly palpable. Her grandmother entered her life two years ago, and was already more present than Gwen ever thought possible. They started training in her holidays and she really became better. The only thing to keep in mind was to stay calm and not to loose herself. Verdona told her that she had to be like a butterfly- on her side only a flap can cause a thunderstorm on her enemy's side.

Gwen reached in her jewel case to take out a necklace her mother gave her. It was long and gold and had a...no, it didn't has…oh! _There_ it intertwined!

She took the little object away from the chain and let her finger run softly over the surface. It still felt warm, as warm as she felt her heart being the day she got it.

(Flashback)

It was a picture-perfect day: The sun shone, the wind was a breeze and the temperature was just high enough to allow a bath in the lake.

Gwen was awoken by an emergency call her cousin sent. A villain caused trouble in the outskirts of the city. With a sigh she got up, dressed and ran on her mana- panels to the place Ben told her.

Soon enough the bad guy was- as usual when Ben, Gwen and Kevin worked together- defeated. Instead of going home, the bearer of the Omnitrix treated his friend and his cousin for a smoothie. In the middle of the fourth drink his cell rang.

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson! You are coming home this instant! Carl and I were worried sick, when we couldn't find you." Ben performed a headpalm and ensured his mother to be home as soon as possible. Since his parents knew the secret of his "watch", they were alright with him fighting aliens if he informed them _where_ he was fighting them. This morning he forgot to tell them he went kicking butts. And making his parents worry meant he had to stay home all day to show them that he did not get injured or brainwashed or something. In other words: he was grounded.

With Ben gone there was an awkward silence between Gwen and Kevin. Wanting this situation to end, Kevin asked "Do you want me to take you home?" He didn't sound as if he wanted to take her home, but just to say something he tried the first sentence that came to his mind. Gwen, on the other hand, took the chance to spend some time with Kevin alone.

"I have a better idea: What about going to the lake?"

Kevin coughed. His panic caused him to swallow and breathe in at the same time. Being alone with Gwen? Without her cousin to fool around with? Only the two of them? His breath flattened, his hands became wet. In spite of this reaction, he kept his cool face and voice and said "Sure, I'll drop you off home so you can pack your things." Things...for the lake...bath clothes...Picturing her in her bikini reddened his cheeks. What did he get himself into?

u-_-u

"You sure, this will fit into the trunk?"

"Of course!" For five minutes now Gwen was about to "pack" the umbrella she brought into Kevin's car. For him it was obvious- that thing would never find place in his trunk.

"We can pack it on the backseat." He leaned against the backlight of his car and looked at her.

"No need for that, I'm sure it-hey!" Kevin had taken the bulky thing out of her hands and put it on the backseat. Now Gwen was standing next to him, hands on her hips, looking pretty annoyed. In his eyes "pretty" was the most fitting word.

"What?" Wasn't that obvious? She would've managed to put the umbrella in the trunk. He didn't need to make her look like a fool. She told him that. Well, only the first part.

"Look, there is a line between stubborn and-"

"Don't you dare to go on." She walked around him and opened the passenger door. Could this day get any more screwed up? Why did he make her act like a drama queen? Why can't she show her best side- smart, cool-headed and relaxed when she's alone with him, which happened very seldom? This thing with the umbrella- she didn't mean to be stubborn, she only wanted to show that she could bring anything she started to an end.

He didn't mean to embarrass her. But like she said on the day they wanted to go to the beach and had to deliver the Tiffin instead- they had to grab every minute in the sun they could get. He looked at her as he fastened his seatbelt. An inner fight was reflected on her face. Was she upset because of such a little issue? No, she was far too self-confident for worrying about that.

As they reached the lake, they both wanted to say something, but like back at Mr. Smoothies, none of them found words. So they unpacked and laid on their towels.

"Look I-"

"I didn't-" Both spoke at the same time. The broke out in laughter.

"I really should have given up earlier. It simply doesn't fit into the trunk."

"No, I think if you would have tried long enough, you would have broken the pole and _then _you definitely would have been able to pack it in."

"Hey! That's unfair! I wouldn't have broken it." She laughed. The tension was broken. Now it felt comfortable being around Kevin. Suddenly a thought hit her.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I never heard you laughing before." She stretched her legs and looked into his eyes. Were they the same dark color like yesterday? How come she never noticed this gem-like shade? It looked just like an obsidian. Yeah, Kevin's eyes were nearly black, but they shimmered like the stars in the sky at night. She felt the butterflies in her middle becoming active again. What was it that he awakened them with being just himself? She couldn't be in love with him- or could she?  
"Sure." Was he able to read her mind? And more important- did he find the answer?

"Huh?" He chuckled at her mind-absent answer/question. She wasn't a perfect lady all the time. That made him somewhat happy. After all it showed that she was normal. Well, as normal as a half-human, half-Anodite could be.  
"Sure you heard me laughing before. Didn't you hear it after I smashed that alien this morning?"

"Yes, but that was something different. Now it sounded…I don't know…happy?"

"Was that a question?" He mocked her.  
Fine, she could play this game as well. "No, this was a scientific statement." She smirked.

"Scientific?! What am I? A frog?"

"I don't know by now. Are frogs able to laugh?" He saw a light spark in her eyes. Now they really glittered like emeralds. He wanted to see that glitter longer, so he went on with their little game.

"I know hyaenas can laugh, but frogs? Wouldn't they swallow water?" He made a croak and then acted like he was drowning. Gwen laughed so hard her stomach hurt. She hadn't had that much fun since long.

"Maybe they have their own way. I think every being should be able to express his feelings." Kevin blushed at his own words. Sh…oot! Now he maneuvered himself into a blind-alley. One step too far!  
Gwen stopped laughing instantly. What could he possibly mean by that? He didn't want her to confess, did he? Confess what?, she stopped herself. By now she had no idea what feelings she could "express" towards him.  
And there it was again- the awkward silence.

"I don't think every living thing is able to laugh." Gwen tucked a stray of hair behind her ear. Feeling a little shy she avoided his eyes.  
"That's sad. I mean, does that mean, no other species on earth has fun?"

"That would be sad indeed." Now she was back to her old self. The next moment she stiffened. "Kevin?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Could you _please_ take away the spider from my shoulder?" Her voice was thin because of her arachnophobia. She loved being outside, but that didn't mean she had to love _all_ the creatures of Mother Nature.

Kevin leaned towards her. She could feel his warm breath on her shoulder. She stiffened even more. The spider was forgotten. She had only one thought on her mind- stopping this warm breath with her lips.

"You want me to take away that little guy?" He brushed his finger softly over her shoulder. It felt as if he left a trace of fire there.  
Slowly Gwen opened one eye and looked at his finger. She didn't know this was possible. How did a metaphoric butterfly manage to sit on her shoulder…on Kevin's finger by now.

"No…"she drew the contour of its wings next to them in the air. She was stunned. "Have you ever seen something that beautiful?" she asked under her breath.  
Kevin caught a glimpse of her eyes, and sunk into them.  
``I see it right in front of me.´´, he'd liked to answer. Instead he cleared his throat.  
"I have never seen a butterfly in those colors." It had dark-blue nearly oval shaped wings with three white and two orange dots. The color- pattern repeated itself in the actual body: It was blue with one orange and one white stripe on the end.  
"Me either."  
``How much more beautiful can a girl be?´´ Kevin couldn't keep his eyes from her. He knew it since the moment he felt that spark between them as she touched his shoulder, being the only one to trust him at that point. She was not only pretty- he had had this type of girl, whenever he felt like having company in the old days. But Gwen- she was so much more. If he used words like these he would have said her heart of gold shimmered through her skin and made her eyes glow. Then he shut his mind up.

``How is that possible? I thought butterflies only come to calm and good-hearted people. Why does it sit still on Kevin's finger?´´ The finger that was way too near her face. His entire body was too near to stay calm. She felt the butterfly's conspecifics in her stomach fluttering again. She wasn't nervous- she knew herself at that point. No, it was a feeling as if she wanted to be like that butterfly at that second: Feeling Kevin's warmth and skin against her own. At any point in her life she thought things through and took her time if needed. Now, it was as if someone lit a light-bulb over her head. Looking at his eyes she saw the answer she was searching for.

She leaned in and kissed Kevin.

If she had ever thought possible that a butterfly can cause a thunderstorm, she now had the proof. It was not only a thunderstorm- it was a tornado she was feeling herself in. She laid her hand on his arm as she felt his palm on her cheek. His lips were so much softer than they looked and they felt warmer than the sunshine on her skin. She broke away and opened her eyes, his taste still lingering on her lips. She saw in his eyes that his feelings for her were the same she had for him. Throwing every sign of insecurity over board, she kissed him again- this time with all the passion she had built up inside herself since she convinced him to work on the good side.  
Kevin did the same.  
Never ever in his whole entire life did he give in that easily and yet sure of his feelings.  
Never ever had he kissed a girl like that.  
Never ever will he kiss a girl like that except for the one in front of him.  
Tough…all good thing have to come to an end.  
He fell onto the grass next to her and reached for her hand. She laid herself on the side and looked at Kevin. As his breath had calmed down -as much as possible with her hand in his- he did the same.  
"Yes." He simply said with a bright smile on the lips she had felt seconds before.

"Yes…what?" she asked.

"Yes, I actually saw something as beautiful as the butterfly." He gave a quiet laugh.  
She frowned- which butter…oh, that one! She had completely forgotten that there was something else than her and Kevin in the universe.  
"And that would be?"  
"You, Gwen." He felt that special warmth in his heart as he said her name. Outstanding and unique- it was just like her.  
Now it was on her to laugh. Braver than before their kiss, she took her hand away from his to let it travel to his hair.  
"I take this as given."  
Jokingly he rolled himself over her. "It _is _given." He kissed her lightly again.  
Seemed like he had found a new addiction: her. Slowly his hand roamed around her collar bone. "Where did you get this necklace from?"

"What?" Seemed to be her word of the day. "Bought it myself after I survived Vilgax' latest attack."  
"What is it made of?"  
Why'd he want to know such things? She has never kissed a guy like she kissed Kevin, but she was sure that wasn't the usual talk afterwards. Puzzled, she gave the answer.  
"The metal is silver and the small stone is a diamond."  
His fingers stopped. They laid on the chain. Seconds later she had the feeling that his finger was made of metal. No, not _made of_, she knew Kevin by now, - _covered with_ was the right expression. She held still, curious what he was doing.  
He focused all his concentration away from her-which was more difficult than he had thought. Despite the fact that he could feel her warmth, he created the construct on his hand. The second part- so he realized sighing- was impossible the way they were laying now. He rolled on his back and touched the little stone on her necklace with the other hand. His finger absorbed the gem. With big eyes Gwen saw how Kevin filled the metal frame with diamond.  
"Wow." Gwen's voice was barely more than a whisper. He took the little butterfly and held it against the sunlight. It refracted the light in any shade of color. It was breathtaking.  
Kevin smiled. Today was for sure the best day in his life so far. Seeing her admiring the piece in his hands ensured him there were even better days to come.  
He lowered his hand on her throat. With one motion the butterfly was a pendant on the silver chain.  
"Thank you" Gwen touched the butterfly and Kevin's finger on it. Overwhelmed by feelings, she kissed him. It seemed like a vicious circle- she wanted to kiss him and then she wanted to look into his black deep orbs and sink into them and the closest to doing that was kissing him and then…  
"Anything for the one I love." he said smiling. It didn't feel as strange as he had thought. It felt just…right in every way.

If possible, her eyes lit up brighter.  
"I love you too."

u-_-u

She smiled.

After the original chain broke, Gwen had to find a new one for the diamond butterfly. By now she hadn't found one, and so she forgot about it.  
She shook her head. Forget? Impossible. She loved Kevin and this was the only day she remembered so far spending some time alone and in peace with him.  
Her cell jolted her out of her daydream. And brought her into a dream called reality.  
"Hello Kevin!"

"Hey Gwen, why so cheery?" He obviously didn't call for a special reason. Did he need any other than wanting to hear his girlfriend's voice? Then again… "Whatever. Wanna go to the lake?"  
She giggled like a little girl. Could he have read her mind? "Why?"  
"Just spending some quality time together before I pick up your cousin from soccer- training."  
"Sure. Give me just ten minutes."  
"You usually need only five."

"Yes, but today…" she held the butterfly against the sunlight like Kevin did back then. "Today I want the answer to a question I was searching for so long." Without waiting for the answer she hang up and went to her desk in order to dial on her plumber's badge.  
"Azmuth? I have one question: Can butterflies laugh?"

* * *

Finished! That was my first published series of stories.  
To answer the rising questions:

+ I described no butterfly I know, but I wanted to draw the picture of a rare one. And this color-pattern is very rare.  
+ No, butterflies can't laugh. Because only humans have a language that expresses more than pure information, we are the only species known to have humor. (I for myself think, animals and insects can have some sort of humor too- how could we know, we don't understand them clearly)  
+ And yes- I'm planning to publish more Gwevin. They're my favorite couple!

'Till soon,  
Sunny


End file.
